One Flesh, One Bone
by irisis
Summary: Set in an AU in which Voyager returned to the Alpha Quadrant after only three years in the Delta Quadrant, sparking a devastating war that has shattered the Federation to its core.


Set in an AU in which Voyager returned to the Alpha Quadrant after only three years in the Delta Quadrant, sparking a devastating war that has shattered the Federation to its core. The dust has just begun to settle but Janeway and Chakotay's troubles are far from over.

Written for madzilla as part of VAMB's 2010 Secret Santa Exchange.

* * *

><p><strong>Prologue<strong>

There was no way to transport down to the raging battle on the small moon Aeos. With their superior manpower and technology, the Behemoth had successfully managed to completely block all incoming communications and transports for three days straight. They also possessed automatic, high altitude based weapons which could detect and destroy anything larger than an escape pod in less than a second. But eventually, after a long and heated discussion, the Maquis had found a way down. They jumped.

Chakotay jumped. 1000, 2000, 3000 metres he fell; 9000 left to go. His sky-diving suit was at least ten years old and one of its jets had a few glitches. It had also undergone a very hasty repair job less than an hour before his journey. 8000 left, 7000; slowing now. He could see the battle ground opening up like a deathly flower beneath him now, pinpricks of firefight mostly concentrated in the west. 6500, 6000 now.

It had been at least twenty years since his last high atmosphere skydive. Given the relative reliability of modern transporters and the increased use of shuttle-craft in recent decades they were rarely used, but Chakotay had taken the optional course at Starfleet Academy along with most other Command track cadets. His skills were rough but adequate and he was confident of a safe landing.

He was very close now; less than 2000 metres to go. He began tapping at the small control panel on his wrist computer, instructing it to automatically release his parachute once he reached 1500 metres. It was detecting a half Klingon, half Human life-sign directly below.

He grunted as the parachute released and began to dramatically slow his decent. The small jets located on his back sprang into action and made the final 1000 metre descent as smooth as possible. He lightly touched down on a rocky but smooth outcrop and ordered the parachute to retract. His legs felt a bit wobbly from the change in pressure but he was otherwise ready for battle.

Removing his twenty-year old phaser rifle from where it had been securely fastened, he took cover in the nearest undergrowth twenty metres to the west, locating Torres in the process. He was shocked to find her smiling.

"I see this war has already undone the good Kathryn did to you on Voyager. Deep down you still love senseless violence."

"Nice of you to finally join me," she grunted, the smile now gone. "Although I don't think it will make much difference. We're being slaughtered, Chakotay."

His wrist computer vibrated, demanding his attention; it had detected movement thirteen metres away, roughly north west. He aimed his phaser rifle in that direction.

"It's not like you to give in so easily," he teased. He couldn't make out much in the gloom, his eyesight not yet fully adjusted.

Torres laughed bitterly. "Easily? I've been awake two days straight. I'm exhausted and going out of my mind, Chakotay. My computer has been non-operational for most of that time and I've had to rely solely on my own wits just to stay alive. So don't you dare-" With a snarl she broke off, raised her weapon and managed to locate and kill the targets Chakotay had been searching for.

Chakotay clapped his hand on her shoulder in what he hoped was an encouraging manner. "In that case you'll appreciate my news all the more. We're very close to breaking through to the command post." He raised his arm and pointed at his wrist computer. "I have their command codes. We're going to knock out their transport jammer and beam the rest of our people down; the battle is almost over, B'Elanna."

B'Elanna perked up immediately, as he knew she would. "Gerron's alive, then? He must be, or you wouldn't have those codes." She smiled, and this time there was nothing sinister or blood thirsty behind it. "I knew he would come through for us."

Chakotay nodded. "Now let's do our part and finish this. Can I rely on you?"

She clasped his hand in a firm grip and met his eyes squarely. "Always."

They did not encounter any further resistance during their short trek to the command post. Chakotay entered the codes as Torres stood guard. The computer accepted the password stream and they cautiously entered. At his final briefing only an hour ago Chakotay had been reassured that the compound would be unmanned. However, Maquis intelligence was rarely reliable and he didn't want to take any unnecessary chances.

He had been right to be cautious. Before they had gone more than a half a dozen steps he realised they were not alone. He could see a large, powerful looking bulk at the control panel in the centre of the control room. It was looking straight at them.

They both raised their weapons in unison, Torres having the fastest reflexes firing first. Nothing happened. There must be a weapon dampening field around the building Chakotay realised with a sense of dread.

The Behemoth moved slowly towards them. Chakotay couldn't tell if it was male or female, both sexes had always looked very similar to him. This one was of average height, that being roughly eight feet tall, it's body made up of rippling slabs and sinews of grey muscle. All Behemoths were hairless and had large, sloping ears and pointed chins that contained small mouths of pointy, red stained teeth. This one was unclothed, which was unusual for a member of their warrior class.

Their enemy was sizing them up. Chakotay had already run through the calculations himself and didn't much like the odds; an average unarmed Behemoth had been known to best three unarmed men. But he had Torres with him, and together hadn't they overcome far higher odds?

Using her phaser like a club, Torres swiped at the creatures legs and made contact, although not enough to unbalance it. With an angry roar it swiped at her with the back of its hand, sending her sprawling to the ground but unhurt. She immediately approached it again and this time so did Chakotay. They moved as one, Torres again aiming for the legs and Chakotay for the chest and neck. He missed, landed roughly, and rolled to one side to avoid any coming retaliation attack. However the creature's attention was solely on Torres now, who had again failed to unbalance it.

Bending at its thick waist it grabbed her firmly by the throat and compressed tightly. Torres struggled intently and clawed at the Behemoth's hands as it lifted her off her feet. Chakotay watched helplessly and it finally tossed her limp form aside and out of sight. He was now alone and unarmed and completely and utterly doomed to die.

A long, sharp scrap of metal hit the creature squarely in its throat, knocking it to the ground. Yellow, unpleasant smelling liquid sprayed from the wound as the creature gasped and buckled before finally falling still. The liquid continued to gush from the wound.

Mute with surprise and relief, Chakotay turned to thank his rescuer.

Kathryn.

"Are you hurt?" She asked.

Still in shock, he didn't answer. There was no way she could be here. Voyager was stationed in a nearby system with its own battle to fight, and besides, Starfleet had warned the Maquis that they did not need their assistance against the Behemoth and would not be prepared to co-operate with them (although they had, predictably, offered aid and some support as the war dragged on, despite their own dwindling resources). Hadn't Kathryn herself warned him that this wasn't the Maquis's fight and to stay out of things?

"B'Elanna..." he murmured, coming to his senses. They found her, alive, thank the spirits, and made her as comfortable as possible before examining the console. The command codes were accepted and Chakotay felt his stomach slowly begin to unwind.

Torres was cursing softly and gently rubbing her neck. She gestured angrily at Janeway's back. "Who the hell is that?"

"My wife, so show some damn respect."

* * *

><p><strong>One<strong>

It had been four years since Voyager's return from the Delta Quadrant, and three years since the end of the war that had ravaged the Alpha Quadrant since day one of Voyager's return. Voyager had been stranded for a little over two years in the Delta Quadrant before Harry Kim made the discovery that would change the course of history; a stable wormhole that led directly to the heart of their home quadrant.

The wormhole was tiny, less than a metre in diameter. But following fourteen months of hard, frustrating work in the form of many new scientific discoveries and breakthroughs, the crew succeeded in teasing the wormhole wide enough to fit Voyager through.

That was when the real trouble began. A violent race of creatures who claimed to live within a dimension inside the wormhole were disturbed by Voyager's passage. They followed Voyager back to the Alpha Quadrant and raged a unjust, senseless war, mainly with the Federation but also with others who chose to defend the quadrant (namely the Klingons and Maquis), that only ended once the 'fleet's flagship, the Enterprise, succeeded in its mission to seal the wormhole for good. The Alpha Quadrant would take decades to recover from the events.

There were some who blamed Voyager and her Captain for bringing the Behemoth to the Alpha Quadrant, but their numbers grew weaker as time went by. There was no way Captain Janeway could have known what would happen due to her passage through the wormhole; she was only trying to get her crew home, most people reasoned.

Janeway could not forgive herself that easily. No one had fought harder in the war than she. She was a scientist and explorer by nature but allowed the war to shape her into a warrior and turned out to be a fine strategist. Now that the war had been over for some time she had finally allowed herself some time away from her Starfleet duties.

"Come here," Chakotay ordered, pulling her down into the deckchair and vigorously applying suntan lotion into her back. "No matter what we do, you always sunburn on Risa."

She was enjoying the warmth of the sun on her skin and the feel of his hands firmly rubbing her back and neck. The lotion had long since been applied but he was continuing his massage regardless.

"What should we do this evening?" She asked, trying to distract herself from the thought of work. She had managed to check her inbox twice already today without Chakotay noticing and was trying to dissuade herself from doing so a third time.

"Dinner?" He suggested, his hands moving round to her shoulders. He moved his mouth close to her ear. "Or we could always order in and have an early night..?"

She laughed and pulled away. "I was thinking more of a walk. It's too hot to walk during the day. The eastern mountains are supposed to be one of the most beautiful sights in the galaxy at sunset."

Chakotay nodded. "Okay then. In the meantime, come here."

With a mock sigh she obeyed and allowed him to continue.

"I didn't expect to ever wear the Starfleet uniform again," Chakotay said suddenly, catching her off guard. "I turned my back on Starfleet twice, but here I am, about to rejoin active service. Perhaps its fate."

"Perhaps," Janeway agreed. "Regardless, Starfleet needs good men like you more than ever before." She gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "I'm glad you decided to rejoin."

They were surrounded by silence apart from the crashing of surf in the distance.

"Are you sure?" Chakotay asked. "You only agreed to marry me once we no longer worked together, no longer wore the same uniform. That's about to change."

Janeway thought back to that time shortly after Voyager's return. Chakotay had resigned from the 'fleet and proposed to her on the same day.

"I thought your decision to rejoin the Maquis was selfish and short-sighted," she admitted. "But I still married you. Starfleet or Maquis, it didn't matter... we were all fighting for the same side. I married you because I I love you; although if I'm completely honest, the war did make me re-evaluate some of my choices."

"Let's talk about something else."

* * *

><p>Chakotay watched her relax in the bathtub for a few moments before returning to the kitchen and preparing their evening meal. It was very difficult to find accommodation on Risa that contained a working kitchen and he intended to make good use of it during their short stay. He set some water aside to boil and began chopping root vegetables.<p>

A chirping noise from the living room interrupted him. He realised it was a message addressed to him; it was already several hours old. Sitting, he ordered the computer to play.

"I apologise for interrupting your leave, Commander Chakotay," Admiral Paris began. "But I'm afraid we need you for a short assignment. We've made first contact with a new race and have been invited to send a small delegation for an initial meeting in four days time. As you know we're very short on people right now and to be honest we could do with your unique skills on this one. God knows you were in more than your fair share of first contact situations in the Delta Quadrant.

"I've already dispatched an officer to meet you, he should be there in approximately 24 hours and will support you on this mission. You should only be needed for a few days. A full briefing is currently being prepared and will be sent to you momentarily. Good luck."

Janeway was standing in the doorway wrapped in a towel. "There goes our vacation time," she remarked dryly.

* * *

><p>The briefing appeared in his inbox as promised. Early the next morning, whilst sipping red tea and waiting for the officer to turn up, he ran through the summary once. Communication received two weeks ago, advanced culture, interested in forming ties with Starfleet. This could well lead to a valuable alliance and would go a great way to boost morale.<p>

The door chime sounded. "Enter."

He was surprised when Lieutenant Tom Paris entered the room.

The two men hugged companionably as they greeted each other. "From the look on your face I see my old man managed not to spoil the surprise," Paris said. "As you've probably already guessed I'll be supporting you on this mission."

Chakotay offered him some coffee. "Well, I'd say they either have high hopes for us or they truly are desperate," he joked. "Why don't you sit down and enjoy that? I have a few things left to do before we leave."

He found her on the balcony, reading. Wordlessly, she raised herself out of the chair and embraced him. They had parted and said goodbye so many times in their marriage neither had to say anything anymore; they knew the words by heart.

He and Paris departed immediately.

* * *

><p><strong>Two<strong>

"I'm positive," Paris said for the third time. "These are the right co-ordinates. But there's nothing out there. I don't get it."

Chakotay didn't understand it either but kept his thoughts to himself for the time being. His small crew were mostly young and inexperienced and he didn't want to rattle them unnecessarily. "It could just be a mistake," he replied evenly, taking a look at the control panel for himself. "All stop. I want a full scan of the planetary system, be ready to report your results in ten minutes."

As his crew got to work he quietly asked Paris for this thoughts.

Paris shrugged his shoulders. "Planets aren't prone to disappear."

"Commander!" The crewman at tactical sounded alarmed. "There's a ship approaching. Unknown design."

"Hail them; all frequencies."

"Yes, sir." A moment passed. "No response."

Chakotay weighed up his options. It could simply be the case of broken equipment. However, as things stood Starfleet couldn't afford to risk a single vessel, nor would he risk his life and crew. He made his decision.

"Tom, get us out of here," he ordered.

"Aye, sir," Paris responded. He tutted angrily a moment later as a warning klaxon sounded from his station. "I can't move. They have us in a tractor beam!"

"Still no answer to our hails?"

"Affirmative, sir."

"Red alert!"

The ship was now on the view screen and growing closer with each passing second as it pulled in the small diplomatic Starfleet vessel. The ship reminded Chakotay of what a Borg Cube must look like except the shape was not as precise. For an awful moment he worried that this may be the Borg, but chased the thought away. No one had heard from the Borg in a very long time.

He was out of ideas. "Options?" he asked his small crew.

Before anyone could answer something transported onto the bridge. Instantly alert, he groped at his belt for a phaser before realising he no longer armed himself as standard. He cursed loudly as he recognised the intruder as a creature.

"Tom-" he got no further. An arcing band of light hit him in the shoulder. He was briefly aware of pain, and then everything went dark.

* * *

><p>Kathryn awoke with a start.<p>

"Computer, lights on."

The large apartment was immediately illuminated in a harsh glow. Kathryn winced. "Computer; dim lights by 50%."

She slid from under the sheets and walked in her bare feet to the kitchen to fetch some coffee. She awoke often enough in the night to know she would not be returning to sleep and may as well catch up on some work. She felt uneasy, but again that wasn't unusual. Perhaps she should reconsider her refusal to Chakotay's pleas to talk to someone about her anxiety.

She stopped what she was doing and chuckled softly. Of course she wouldn't talk to a counsellor. She was Kathryn Janeway, and Kathryn Janeway preferred to carry the weight of the world on her shoulders.

She had returned from Risa that afternoon, not content to remain there alone and wait for Chakotay's possible return. If his mission did not overrun perhaps they could return together. If not she would be content to play out the remainder of their vacation time on Earth; there were still plenty of sights she was yet to see.

Her left leg ached; a war wound that never fully healed and probably never would. She ignored the pain and continued with her report and was half way done when her console chimed, indicating an incoming communication.

"Incoming call for Kathryn Janeway."

"Who's calling at this time of night?"

"Caller unknown."

Her breath caught in her throat. This wouldn't be good. "Computer, route transmission to this terminal."

She was stunned to see Torres appear there. She hadn't heard from her ex Chief Engineer since the end of the war, at which time Torres had insisted on remaining with the Maquis and turning her back on the Federation for good.

"Good evening, B'Elanna."

"Hello, Admiral."

"You're not under my command anymore. Please call me Kathryn."

"Okay... Kathryn."

"What can I do for you, B'Elanna? I'm guessing this isn't a social call."

"You're right. There's no easy way to say this, so I'll just go ahead and say it plain. Chakotay is missing. Actually, the entire ship and its crew are missing."

"I haven't heard anything from Starfleet," Janeway said accusingly.

"That's because they don't know yet. Chakotay wasn't due to check in with them again for another five hours."

"Then how do..." Janeway trailed off. The answer was obvious. "You have a spy on board his ship."

Torres had to good grace to look apologetic. "We haven't heard anything from our contact in over twenty four hours. They didn't report in earlier this evening as arranged."

Janeway finished off her coffee with a long and final gulp. "That doesn't mean the ship is in any danger, or missing, B'Elanna. There are a hundred reasons why you may not have heard from your 'contact'. Perhaps they've been discovered."

Torres shook her heard vigorously. "That's what I initially feared, but then I arranged for a ship that was already in the area to take a look. They followed their warp signature but it just... vanished, with absolutely no sign of the ship. There was no evidence of debris or any kind of conflict."

Janeway took a deep breath. "Why are you telling me this when you know the first thing I'm going to do is notify Starfleet?"

"For Chakotay," Torres answered evenly, then cut the transmission.

* * *

><p>"I'm sorry, Kathryn," Admiral Owen Paris said, hurt by the disappointment written on her face. "But you know the situation. We don't have a ship to spare at the moment, and Voyager won't be ready for another two days. She's already more than half way through her warp core refit; we can't abandon it half way through."<p>

"We can't just abandon our people, Admiral."

"I have no intention of abandoning anyone," he responded. "Do I really need to remind you that my son is on board that missing ship?"

Kathryn slumped back into her seat. "I'm sorry, Admiral."

The reason she had evaded Chakotay's romantic overtures for as long as she did was to avoid exactly this kind of situation; she was allowing her heart to rule her head.

But on second thoughts, wouldn't she do the same for any of her crew, past or present?

"The Enterprise will be en route to their last known co-ordinates following the completion of their current mission. They should be there within 48 hours. I'm afraid that's the best we can do," he said.

She nodded absently. An alternate plan was already forming. The Admiral recognised the look in her eyes but chose to turn a blind eye.

* * *

><p><strong>Three<strong>

He felt cold and uncomfortable. He slowly became aware that he was sprawled on hard, damp floor. As his sight returned he realised he wasn't alone; his small crew, including Paris, were with him but unconscious. Not yet ready to move he examined his surroundings instead.

The cramped room was very similar in design and feel to every Behemoth structure he had come across during the war. They evidently liked their temperature lower than most humanoids; Chakotay realised he was shivering. The air smelt stale somehow but he wasn't having any trouble breathing.

It was difficult to see given Behemoths preference for the dark, but he could just make out that he was in what appeared to be a holding cell with no furniture.

He was being watched.

"Release my crew," he implored the dark shape at the curved cell entrance. It ignored him.

* * *

><p>It hadn't proven too difficult for Janeway to track down Torres, which probably meant the younger woman had wanted to be found. She agreed to meet at Janeway and Chakotay's apartment. She turned up over two hours late.<p>

Janeway didn't waste any time with pleasantries. "If you have a ship, I want to know. I intend to find them."

Torres studied her intently. "I have a ship and have every intention of finding them. But why should I bring you along?"

Janeway found herself pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration. She could still remember a time when Torres had been moulding into a loyal, brilliant officer. How had they returned to this hostility?

"I'm coming with you," she hissed, making an effort not to add 'and that's an order'. Old habits died hard. She set to work straight away and began packing a small bag.

"I suppose your skills would come in useful - you would give us a higher chance of success," Torres agreed reluctantly. "But keep in mind that you'll be on a Maquis ship. No Starfleet rules."

"Understood," Janeway snapped. Right now she would even go so far as to agree to follow Ferengi customs, including the no clothes part, if it meant getting on a ship and finding her husband.

* * *

><p>"I'm officially out of ideas," Paris said, slumping to the floor of the cell. They had been left alone for over five hours and were yet to be provided with any food or water. Chakotay hoped the Behemoth understood the need for humans to take toilet trips or the atmosphere was about to get even more strained.<p>

"Chakotay," Paris said in a warning tone.

A Behemoth was unlocking the bars and took a few moments to scan the cell's occupants. The Starfleet crew stood very still, some defiantly meeting its glare, others looking uncomfortably at the ground.

Without warning the creature sprang forwards and took the arm of Raven, a young female Vulcan. She did not struggle as she was led from the cell. Her fellow crew members protested loudly.

"Wait!" Chakotay bellowed, reaching the cell bars just as they closed. "I'm the commanding officer here! Take me!"

The Behemoth stared at him with what appeared to be disgust before turning around a corner and out of sight, Raven still firmly in his grasp.

* * *

><p>In the end, it was just the two of them on board the ancient Maquis ship. Torres was very sensitive about 'her baby' and insisted it was in perfect working order; didn't it have the finest engineer Janeway had ever met as its loving owner? Janeway tried to put her misgivings to one side; the ship was getting them from A to B and appeared to be holding together. Nothing else mattered right now.<p>

"Does it have a name?" she asked during a quiet period.

"Excuse me?"

"The ship."

"Oh." Torres appeared to think about the question for a few moments. "Not yet. I'm having trouble coming up with one."

Janeway chuckled. She was starting to feel more relaxed in her company; this trip almost felt like the early days on Voyager, although they had both changed a great deal since those times they were still essentially the same people.

"I never loved him," she blurted out suddenly. "Mark, I mean, not Chakotay," she clarified. "You once asked me what had happened to him. Well, that's it in a nutshell. I was starting to have doubts about my reasons for being with him, and so much time had passed... and then..."

"And then you spent a couple months in paradise with Chakotay," Torres interjected. "Coffee?"

"B'Elanna, it wasn't quite as simple as... oh, yes, thank you."

Torres handed her a mug. "You don't need to explain yourself," she said. "My respect for you actually increased when I heard about the wedding. I'm glad you had the guts to go after what you really wanted, even if it proved the harder path. But what about all that not wanting to get involved with a subordinate crap?"

"When Chakotay re-joined the Maquis that was no longer relevant."

"See, that's what I don't get," Torres said thoughtfully, taking a sip of the steaming hot coffee. "Why didn't you leave him when he re-joined us?"

"What did it matter in the end?" They were approaching the last known co-ordinates of Chakotay's ship and would be dropping out of warp in a few seconds. "We were all on the same side, fighting a common enemy. Although not many top Starfleet brass care to admit it, we couldn't have held the creatures back as long as we did without the help of the Maquis."

The ship jolted gently as it dropped out of warp.. A large ship filled the view screen and both women stared wordlessly at the other.

* * *

><p><strong>Four<strong>

Chakotay had finally convinced what appeared to be the lead Behemoth to speak with him alone. He stood, lack of sleep and ravenous hunger making him light headed and nauseous. He desperately tried to hold on to his resolve.

The Behemoth could not communicate in the standard humanoid fashion; for one thing, they did not possess a voice box. Instead this Behemoth spoke to him telepathically, its words forming unbidden in its mind. It was a disconcerting experience and Chakotay found himself wishing that Kes or Tuvok, both powerful telepaths, were here to guide him.

The creature questioned him relentlessly about the outcome of the war and what had happened to the rest of his people. To Chakotay's surprise, it immediately accepted his version of events. Perhaps it was merely seeking confirmation.

"I've answered your questions to the best of my knowledge and ability," Chakotay said. "Now I want you to answer some of mine."

The creature did not answer but simply nodded its large head.

"Where is Raven, the female member of my crew you took from the cell?"

We needed to extract information from her; she was the only telepath among you. She did not survive the process.

Chakotay's cheek twitched, the only outside sign of his anger.

"What information was worth killing a Starfleet officer for?"

Confirmation of your identity, Chakotay.

"Why?"

Your mate killed my only child. She will come for you; it is her way. And when she arrives you will both die a slow and torturous death.

* * *

><p>"It's a Behemoth ship," Torres stated in a manner-of-fact way. "They don't have their shields raised."<p>

"Red alert!" Janeway yelled out of habit.

"I call the shots on board, remember?" Torres warned, although there was no trace of malice in her voice. "Relax. We're safe; for now."

"How can you know that?" Janeway asked, scrambling to a console. "We're cloaked!" She exclaimed in surprise. "How did you..?"

"I called in a favour from a Klingon captain who's life I saved during the war. But I don't know how reliable it will be. Now, I suggest we formulate a plan before they detect us and raise their shields."

* * *

><p>Out of contempt, the Behemoth had left them unguarded. Chakotay was certain it wasn't out of neglect of duty or lack of thought; the Behemoth were always very careful. The lack of Behemoth presence had riled him at first and had made it very difficult to get an audience with their leader, but right now he planned on exploiting their over confidence.<p>

He passed the weapon to Paris. "Think you can rig the power supply to blow and get us out of here?"

Paris whistled. "How did you manage to get your hands on this?"

"It wasn't too hard," Chakotay admitted truthfully. "My escort took his eyes off me for a moment."

"I won't ask where you've been hiding it," Paris remarked dryly. He had removed a small panel from the device and was staring at it intently. "I think it should do the job... when do you want to move? What's the plan?"

"We leave now," Chakotay insisted. "I have reason to believe Kathryn and possibly B'Elanna are en route and heading straight into a trap."

Paris flinched at the mention of B'Elanna.

"They keep their escape pods two floors up, I noticed them on my way up to their leader. We'll try and find an access hatch and make our way there out of sight. It's not far; we may even reach it before they realise we're missing."

"Chakotay... did you manage to find out what happened to Raven?"

Chakotay cleared his throat and prepared to give his temporary crew the bad news.

* * *

><p><strong>Five<strong>

Torres and Janeway transported inside the Behemoth ship, phasers and tricorders prepped and ready. They cautiously made their way forward.

Torres cursed in Klingon under her breath. "They're not being held on this floor. I'm reading their life signs ten decks below us; better get moving and out of sight or we'll get ourselves and everyone else killed."

Janeway was already prising away part of the bulkhead. "I'm detecting a ventilation shaft back here... it should be more than wide enough for us to pass through. It takes a winding route but should lead straight to them."

They ducked into the shaft and complete darkness. They caught their breath before activating their wrist light beams, illuminating the damp and cramped passage before them. Janeway led the way. They had only travelled ten metres before being met by a sudden drop; they both stared down uneasily.

"Well," Janeway said eventually, breaking the silence, "time to get creative." She removed her jacket and made a makeshift rope by stretching the material, securing it to one side of the bulkhead as best she could. It didn't extent far but would make a life threatening drop into a merely dangerous one. They took it in turns to descent, finally reached the lower level and continued.

"How many life signs are you reading?" Torres asked cautiously.

"You know as well as I do there's someone missing from the group. Let's hope it's not your Maquis spy"

"It could be a sensor glitch," Torres volunteered. "The same interference that stopped us getting a clear transporter lock on them may be affecting our readings."

"Perhaps," Janeway conceded. Privately, she was preparing herself for the worst.

* * *

><p>Thankfully they didn't meet any resistance on their short journey and even managed to locate what appeared to be a weapons locker. Only two of the weapons were small enough for them to carry comfortably, but regardless Chakotay was glad the spirits were smiling on him once more.<p>

They rounded the final corner and reached a small, low cargo bay type room, the one he had passed earlier. On each side were ten rounded entryways leading to the (very large by their standards) escape pods.

"Get going," Chakotay ordered the small team, counting them off one by one as they entered an escape pod. Paris cleared his throat beside him.

"I didn't want to mention this in front of the others, but what's to stop the Behemoth blowing the escape pods to bits once they realise who's inside?"

"I am. I'm going to find their leader again and cause a distraction. It may prove useless, but I'm hoping it will give the rest of you just enough time to get away, maybe even come across a Starfleet ship. They must be searching for us by now, and I don't think this ship has moved yet. We will be easily to find."

"I'm not going to let you go alone."

"And I'm not going to let you come with me," Chakotay answered, pushing him towards the last escape pod.

"You said it yourself," Paris protested, "it's a long shot anyway, I'm almost as good as dead out there anyway. But at least with two of us causing hell in here it will give the others a better chance of making it."

Chakotay considered arguing further but decided against it. He and Paris had been through too much together. He would respect his wishes and let him stay.

* * *

><p>"We must have taken a wrong turning," Torres growled. They had reached a dead end.<p>

Janeway stared at her tricorder in confusion. "This doesn't make sense. These aren't the readings I had before."

Torres sighed. "Why do I get the feeling we're heading straight into a trap?"

"I think it's safe to conclude they're aware we're on board."

Suddenly, the bottom of the air vent collapsed beneath them and they fell onto a rough, cold floor. They were surrounded by Behemoth.

Torres, reacting instantly, shouted angrily at the top of her lungs and charged towards the nearest creature. She was repelled easily. Another creature fired its weapon and she slumped to the floor.

Janeway decided on a calmer approach. Standing slowly and raising her hands to show she wasn't a threat she addressed them all. "We're here for our people. We have no wish to-"

She didn't get any further. The same Behemoth took aim and hit her with the weapon beam.

* * *

><p><strong>Six<strong>

Chakotay and Paris returned to the cell unchallenged. What they found there shocked them.

"Kathryn!" Chakotay ran to her. They embraced through the hastily repaired bars.

Paris joined them. "You okay, B'Elanna?" he asked.

"Go to hell," she replied, cradling her head in her hands. She had struck her head when stunned by the weapon and was in a lot of pain.

Chakotay realised they had company. Turning slowly, he found himself staring at the chest of the lead Behemoth. He opened fire, but the weapon beam was absorbed easily by an energy shield.

Your mate finally fell into my trap. Now watch her die in agony, as such she inflicted on my son.

A grating sound emitted from within the cell. Slowly, a panel began to lift and a large, dog-like creature emerged. It sniffed the air and growled menacingly at Janeway and Torres.

"Don't do this," Chakotay implored the Behemoth.

It ignored him.

The creature lunged in the direction of the two women. Torres reached out with her leather boot clad foot and kicked it with as much force as she could muster. Stunned, the creature whined and retreated, reassessing its prey. The next time it approached, slowly this time, Torres was ready for it once more. She clutched at either side of its mouth and twisted, attempting to break it's jaw. She wasn't strong enough. The creature managed to bite down into her hand, making her roar with pain. As she backed away, clutching her hand and trying to defend herself, the creature turned and made for Janeway instead.

It leaped onto her chest and pinned her to the ground. Janeway attempted to throw it off, but it was too large and far too heavy. The creature opened its jaws wider than Janeway imagined possible, showing off three sets of teeth, and lunged for her neck.

The weight suddenly disappeared from her chest and the creature fell limp to one side. Torres stood above her, clutching the stone panel that had been moved aside during the animal's arrival in both hands. It was stained darkly with the creature's blood.

The Behemoth clutched Chakotay in a firm grip around the throat.

I will kill you all myself.

Paris struggled in vain to release the Behemoth's hands but the creature was much stronger. Torres began pounding at the bars with the stone slab, after a few hits the already weak bars gave way and she and Janeway ran out.

Chakotay's vision was beginning to grow hazy. He struggled weakly as the last of his strength began to ebb away.

With a battle cry fierce enough to impress any Klingon, Torres swung the slab at a small metal box on the creatures wrist. With a crackle, its energy shield disappeared. Janeway calmly raised Chakotay's discarded weapon and fired.

The Behemoth released Chakotay with a strangled grasp and slumped to the floor, dead. Stunned and gasping for breath, Chakotay pulled himself to his feet.

Janeway kept the weapon drawn and pointing straight ahead.

"Why are you pointing that thing at Chakotay?" Paris asked.

"Because he's a Maquis spy."

* * *

><p>Janeway awoke. The room was quiet and dark. If she strained enough she could just about hear the hum of the Enterprise's warp engines. Or was she just imaging it? She had spent so much of her life on board Starfleet vessels it was difficult to tell.<p>

Chakotay was standing in the doorway.

"I take it its not too comfortable on the coach?"

He entered the room and perched on the end of the bed. "We need to talk, Kathryn. Properly. It's been two days and you still won't talk to me."

"Perhaps I'm worried everything I saw will be passed on to Maquis high command."

"Kathryn, don't."

"No, Chakotay, you don't," she said, getting out of bed so she could face him directly. She stood in front of him. "You want to talk about it, so let's do that. How long have you been a Maquis spy? Did you ever really rejoin Starfleet?"

"I did it out of loyalty to B'Elanna, not the Maquis. I never passed on anything useful."

"That makes everything alright then," Janeway snapped. "Is that why you married me? To try and gain more access to Starfleet secrets?"

"Of course not," he said, his cheeks growing red. "I love you, Kathryn. I have done for almost the entire length of time I have known you. You know that."

Kathryn found herself unable to argue on that point. She did know that he loved her; she felt it keenly every day. She knew it better than anything else. Which is what made this betrayal all the more hurtful.

"What happens now?" Chakotay asked quietly.

"You're going to immediately resign from Starfleet."

"Yes."

"And then we try and repair this marriage."

Chakotay nodded sadly. "Can I ask you one last thing, Kathryn?"

"What is it?"

"How did you find out?"

"I didn't. I had a hunch, and you didn't deny it."

* * *

><p><strong>Epilogue<strong>

The sun slowly rose above the hills outside the window. Same hotel room, same resort, same Risa. But a lot had happened since the last time they stayed here.

Kathryn stirred in bed. Chakotay lay beside her, warm and firm. He bent down to kiss her neck. She murmured in appreciation. He stopped for a moment. "Happy anniversary," he said.

She returned the sentiment and wriggled further under him, kissing his smooth, firm chest as she went before reaching what she had been searching for. She slowly slid her hand under the waistband of his shorts and was happy to find him already very aroused. Pulling the shorts down in one swift motion, she positioned herself directly underneath him and took his cock in her mouth.

She began by swirling her tongue lazily around the head, firmly massaging his buttocks with her hands as she did so. He groaned and attempted to thrust; she let him, meeting him half way, and between them they found a satisfying rhythm.

After a few minutes he pulled away and rolled onto his back. "Kathryn..." he sighed. "I'm so glad we made it."

She straddled his hips with a coy smile and pulled her silky nightgown over her head, leaving her completely naked now. He stared at her body in appreciation with a satisfied smile for a few moments, before raising his head and gently taking one of her nipples in his mouth. He darted his tongue back and forth across it as his hand gently massaged the other. Kathryn sighed and fidgeted in appreciation, gently rubbing her crotch against his hard cock. She was already ready for him.

She pulled up slightly, pushed him back on to the bed and lowered herself on to him. They both breathed out and locked eyes as they did so. She rested like that for a moment, just enjoying the feeling of him being inside her. Chakotay began to buck and rock softly, prompting her into movement. She moved slowly at first, and as his own rocking grew more insistent she picked up the pace. He felt wonderful, as always.

She felt herself on the edge of orgasm. This was the first time they had had sex in over a year. It had taken a lot of rebuilding and hurt and pain to get this far.

She came with a low moan, her muscles clamping around him tightly until it passed. He came moments later, back arched, he may have told her he loved her. She wasn't sure; she was lost in the moment.

She had realised she did trust this man, with her life. She would always be Starfleet, but he was neither Starfleet or Maquis anymore. They were free.


End file.
